Finally Its End of 8th Week (:

Finally, tomorrow will be the 56th day.

By now, my body should have produced enough antibodies.

On the 12th day after my exposure, I got sick (one-day fever, nasal congestion, runny nose with a lot of yellow mucus, dry cough, back pain, weird feeling in the throat etc). I was not very sick then.

I have taken the following tests:

SD Bioline 4th Generation combo rapid test (27th day) - Negative
Alere Determine Antibody test (33rd day) - Negative
Alere Determine Antibody test (39th day) - Negative

I think the above results look promising. Based on my research, a 4th generation rapid combo test is conclusive on the 4th week and most people will be positive on 3rd generation anitbody test by the 6th week.

However, I know all these are false negatives. The symptoms I had experienced are not normal for me and it happened between 2nd and 4th week.

Actually I have already accepted I am positive. I think once you have accepted, you will feel better.

I am happy that I am able to find out I'm positive earlier. I trust my instinct.

Once it is confirmed tomorrow, I will arrange to speak to a counsellor at AFA and let them guide me.

I know Im Positive

I know I'm positive but the tests which I've taken so far were not able to pick up my HIV infection.

On the 28th day, I did a rapid combo test (SD Bioline) via finger prick and result is negative. I have doubt with this. Maybe my body have not produced enough antigen.

On the 33rd day, I did a rapid hiv 1/2 test via finger prick and result is negative. Should not have done this test since it is still early.

on the 39th day, I did another rapid hiv 1/2 test via finger prick and result is negative. Based on my research online, most people will test positive by 6th week but due to some reasons, certain group of people will take longer.

I should be the latter.

I will be testing again at the end of 8th week and 99% will be tested positive by then. 

I hope If I really got the virus, let this test be positive. I'm really tired with taking test after test. False-positives are giving me hope, false hope.

I just want to get a confirmation so that I can move on quickly.

Off

I'm giving myself a two-week off.

Its not good to keep testing and testing. It doesnt reflect well about my mental state.

According to my research, most people will tested positive by the 8th week. Testing at 12th week is a international guide line.

For the remaining two weeks before the test, I will play as much as possible.

I dont want to think about it. It will make the days harder.

I believe Im infected but just that my antibodies have not shown up yet .

Negative But Not Conclusive ...

Negative for the 3rd HIV test on the sixth week. 

The volunteer that was assigned to me today is a ang mo lady. After she had shown me the result, she affirmed I should be fine. She could see that I am very worry. Who dont?? Its a life changing event. She asked me to come back one month later.

She also passed me two condoms.

A negative result on the sixth week is not conclusive. The golden rule is always end of the third month or 12 weeks.

No point for me to take a test each week. I decided to take the test on the 8th, 10th and 12th week.

Stay Safe.

Another Test Later

I will be going for another combo test (4th generation) later. Today is the 38th day.

Runny Nose

I found an article online saying that runny nose is one of the HIV ARS symptoms.

This coincides with the runny nose I had experienced two - three weeks ago.

Now I believe I have HIV and just that the tests which I have done in the past are not able to pick up:

24th July (28th day) - SD Bioline HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab combo test (4th Generation) > Negative
29th July (33rd day) - Alere HIV-1/2 AntiBody test > Negative

Although the counsellor told me the test was more than 90% accurate, I have doubt.

The runny nose I had is not normal. A lot of yellow mucus.

I frustrated. I hope to get a confirmation so that I can move on. If I'm really positive, I would like to access to counselling and medical treatment as soon as possible.

Negative but I am not convinced.

Went to dsc clinic for the HIV anonymous testing on the 33rd day after my risky exposure. 

Entered the clinic and was greeted by a friendly volunteer. Amazed that he is an ang mo.

He asked me politely which STD (means Sexual Transmitted Disease) test I would like to take. I told him I wanted to take HIV test. The cost is $30 for a standard HIV antibody test. He issued me a ticket with a number on it which will be used to identify me. He also asked me to fill up a survey about my sexual health.

I entered one of the counselling room after my number was called. The counsellor is a guy. He asked me about my sexual health and what have made me to come here for the HIV test. I told him about my risky exposure and the symptoms I was having. He told me he was not concerned about the symptoms I was having. Because to him, it was more like a normal flu. He was more concerned about the person who I had sex with.

After the counselling, I went into another room for the blood test. It was a simple test. He collected my blood via a finger prick device.

I was asked to wait outside. After about 10 minutes, the counsellor called me into the same counselling room again. 

The result was negative and he told me 99% I am not infected.

I am not convinced because the symptoms I am still experiencing now are not normal. Runny nose with a lot of yellow mucus, a strange one-day fever, stiff neck etc

After some research on the Internet, many studies said that rapid test is not accurate and may not pick up those who has just been infected.

I decided to take another test on the 8th week. Two weeks later.